-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A female graduate student at Virginia Tech was killed Wednesday night when a man she knew attacked her with a knife and decapitated her , a school spokesman said .

Virginia Tech police Chief Wendell Flinchum talks about the first slaying on campus since the 2007 shootings .

Virginia Tech spokesman Mark Owczarski said Thursday that Xin Yang 's killing was the first on the campus since April 16 , 2007 , when a shooter killed 32 people before turning a gun on himself .

Yang , 22 , from Beijing , China , was killed at the Au Bon Pain restaurant in the Graduate Life Center at around 7 p.m. , school spokesman Larry Hincker said in a written statement .

Campus police took Haiyang Zhu , 25 , into custody at the scene . The Ningbo , China , native has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail at a local jail , Hincker said .

Zhu did not say anything to the arresting officers , said campus police Chief Wendell Flinchum .

`` There was blood on him , '' Flinchum said . The young woman and the suspect `` were not seen arguing , or anything of that nature , '' he added , citing witness statements .

Authorities said the two students knew each other . `` Based on emergency contact records maintained by the university , it is known that Zhu and Yang knew each other , '' Hincker said . No other details were provided .

The young woman arrived at the university two weeks ago to begin studies in accounting , he said in the statement .

Zhu is a graduate student pursuing a doctorate in agricultural and applied economics . He began studies at Virginia Tech in fall 2008 , Hincker said .

`` Our hearts go out to the victim and her family , '' President Charles W. Steger said in a letter to the campus community .

`` An act of violence like this one brings back memories of the April 16 tragedy and I have no doubt that many of us feel especially distraught . ''

Authorities say on April 16 , 2007 , Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 students and professors before killing himself .

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Killing was first on campus since gunman killed 32 on April 16 , 2007

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Victim Xin Yang , a graduate student from Beijing , knew accused killer , police say

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Haiyang Zhu , 25 , taken into custody ; he is charged with first-degree murder

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Attack took place at restaurant in Graduate Life Center